When we design of the décor in our house, we do so with different senses in mind. We want to make sure that the room looks good, that the furniture feels comfortable, and so on. But aside from the occasional scented candle, most people don’t strategize about how the rooms in their house smell. But that’s changing. There is a new practice in making people feel welcome in different places, and it is called “scentscaping.” Scentscaping involves strategically engaging different scents into a room that people will enjoy, without being overpowered. Just as landscaping aims to improve the aesthetics of your yard, scentscaping brings fragrance into each room to improve the atmosphere.

Unsurprisingly, the practice didn’t begin in people’s homes. Scentscaping began as a way to make consumers feel comfortable and happy in public lobbies like hotels, casinos, clubs, and retail stores, and even medical institutions to help cover the discomforting smell of medicine. The only places they have not been welcoming to scentscaping are restaurants, since the different aromas could mess with people’s sense of taste. But the idea is catching on like wildfire. Now a company called Scent Sciences Corporation has even designed a piece of technology called ScentScape that will layer different smells into your TV room based on the videogames or film you are watching!

How Scentscaping Works

Scentscaping smells are used to evoke certain emotions, and add a welcoming vibe to the room by engaging your nose. Now, scentscaping is becoming a norm for the average household. You can incorporate different smells into your décor via potpourri, scented oils, light bulb rings, linen sprays, fragrance diffusers, or drawer liners. The trick is just to make the fragrance apparent without letting it become overbearing.

What’s interesting about scentscaping is that the smells aren’t just a pleasantry. Different odors can bring us back to different memories, and evokes the same feelings we felt when smelling that scent in the past. Smell actually has a proven effect on us physically and psychologically, as they trigger different parts of the brain. Here are the scents you might consider bringing into your home:

Lavender for a guest bedroom. It’s always difficult for people to fall asleep in a new place, but soothing lavender will help to calm your guest’s mind and body into relaxing. The effect of lavender can be so powerful that it can even help people suffering from insomnia to get some shut-eye.

Peppermint or cinnamon for the at-home office. Cinnamon has been proven to have a positive effect on your cognitive abilities, and sharpen your attention span and working memory. Peppermint also helps your mind – it is shown to increase your mental stamina, motivation, and overall cognitive performance. What could be better for the room that requires the most of your intellectual brain power?

Fresh-cut grass for the porch. Since you probably don’t cut your lawn enough for the smell of fresh-cut grass to be lingering all of the time, grab a candle that can imitate the smell. It has been proven to make people feel happier, making it the perfect aroma for enjoying the outdoors. Studies show it also helps with mental decline as we grow older.

Vanilla for your living room. Vanilla is not an exotic choice of smell, but it is soothing and familiar to your house visitors. Studies have shown that breathing in the smell of vanilla can elevate your mood to a happier level, so it’s the perfect fragrance to put in the room where you gather with family and friends.

Jasmine in your bedroom. If you struggle with depression on a regular basis, or even just find yourself fighting against the Sunday night blues or seasonal affective disorder, jasmine can help. It can keep your mind more alert and relieve your depressed thoughts, bringing your mood into an upswing.

Olive oil in the dining room. Olive oil isn’t just a great ingredient, but the smell of it can affect us more than you would guess. The smell of olive oil helps to cease cravings, and makes people feel more satisfied after they are done eating a meal. It also improves people’s blood sugar response and helps to curb the amount of calories people eat. Your guests and family will walk away from dinner feeling more fulfilled with their meal, and reaping the health benefits of this scent.

KellyRose McAleer

KellyRose McAleer is a graduate of the University of Iowa and a writer for RemodelingCentral. Also, it’s KellyRose. It's not Kelly; It's not Rose. You can find her here